Trufast, a division of Altenloh, Brinck & Co. U.S., Inc., recently launched its new website platform. The improved website provides an easy-to-use resource to access product information quickly in a mobile-friendly environment. Users can find the most current technical information and a robust library of product documentation within two clicks from the home page.

“When developing the new website, we really focused on our customers’ needs,” commented Trufast Marketing Manager, Kara Roth. “Trufast is known for its continued focus on the customer experience and we were committed in developing a website with that same focus.”

In addition to an enhanced website, Trufast can now be found online on social channels Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube with the handle @TrufastUSA. Followers of Trufast’s social channels will have access to installation videos, product promotions and other company news and events. The latest Trufast information will be found on their social channels.

On September 19th, ATAS International welcomed guests from several countries to the ATAS headquarters in Allentown, PA for the biennial International Melting Pot event. The guests, all of whom are ATAS product distributors, gathered for education sessions, plant tours, and information exchanges. ATAS continues to grow their export business and develop relationships with distributors throughout the world.

Joao DaCosta, Director of International Business Development for ATAS, stated, “We were pleased to receive our international distributors for this third biennial meeting. The four-day event was full of collaborative ideas and enthusiastic networking. Our guests shared their business experience with ATAS and each other, and all left with many new and renewed global relationships.” The event wrapped up with a trip to New York City, where guests were treated to a matinee showing of the musical, Aladdin, followed by dinner.

DaCosta, who is also a professor of international business and global supply chain at Baruch College of The City University of New York (CUNY) in New York City, sees the Greater Lehigh Valley area as a strategic location for the manufacturing industry and for continued growth in the exporting of products.

Building products distributor ABC Supply Co. Inc. has opened its newest branch at 201 Butcher Road in Waxahachie, Texas. The location offers steep- and low-slope roofing, roofing insulation, siding, windows, doors, and other select exterior building products and materials.

David Wassermann will manage the branch. Wassermann joined ABC Supply in 2015 as an outside sales associate at the company’s Carrollton, Texas, location. As the Waxahachie branch manager, Wassermann will build relationships with the area’s contractors, helping them find solutions for their business challenges and achieve their goals.

ABC Supply now has 40 locations throughout Texas with the opening of the Waxahachie branch.

“David and his team are ready to hit the ground running with the area’s contractors, making sure they receive the personalized support they need to make their jobs easier and help their businesses succeed,” said John Yonkin, vice president of ABC Supply’s Southwest Region. “We’re also looking forward to becoming members of the Waxahachie community.”

Branch hours are 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. CT, Monday through Friday, and Saturday 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. The phone number is (972) 937-1052.

Roofing Technology Think Tank (RT3) continues its focus on exploring emerging technology solutions for the roofing industry with a planned live meetup on the Microsoft campus in Redmond, Washington, on November 5, 2018. The group of progressive roofing professionals strives to inform contractors by learning about progressive and disruptive solutions that help build the professionalism and appeal of the roofing industry.

The meetup is planned in conjunction with PowerObjects and will be hosted in Microsoft’s Internet of Things (IOT) lab. RT3 board member and winner of the Microsoft Modern Small or Medium Business category of the 2015 Visionary Award, Ken Kelly, president of Kelly Roofing, helped to coordinate the meetup for RT3.

Kelly learned firsthand how technology could disrupt his business model and result in more growth, increased efficiencies and better customer service. With the aid of Microsoft Dynamics, Kelly Roofing was able to double its business without increasing its staff. With files designed to be accessed remotely (the majority of Kelly Roofing employees work outside the office), staff members are able to add notes to each file, receive reminder notices, and efficiently speed through the time-consuming daily tasks. The result? More time to spend with clients.

Following Hurricane Irma in September 2017, Naples, Florida-based Kelly Roofing was able to use Skype for Business online to handle 4,500 calls the first week following the storm, direct customers in English and Spanish to its storm repair services, liaise with insurance companies, and train new hires. This efficient response earned kudos and cemented the company’s reputation for customer-focused service.

At the November 5 meetup, RT3 members will hear a series of Tech Talks starting with one from Venkat Rao, Capabilities Manager of Business Applications for PowerObjects, the company that Kelly worked with to help implement their technology solutions. Following Rao, Tech Talks will be presented by Kati Quigley, Microsoft Senior Director of Marketing and Communication for Business Applications, and Rob Nehrbas, Microsoft Senior Director if Business Strategy for Business Applications. Kelly will present last, sharing his story about how he worked with Microsoft to build his roofing software platform.

The morning wraps up with RT3 Task Teams providing update on their activities for the following areas: Future Workforce, Communications, Meetups, Technology and Membership. During the afternoon session the task teams will work together in small breakouts to discuss how what they learned in the morning can be applied to and shared with the roofing industry. They will also review how what their task teams have accomplished thus far can be shared with the industry and determine their goals for the coming year.

For more information on the event or if you are interested in attending, please send an email to Karen Edwards at info@rt3thinktank.com.

Nationwide Protective Coatings Mfrs.Inc. announced its latest product to the PERMAPRODUCT Line. Introducing PERMASIL, the New Silicone infused Bright White Elastomeric Acrylic, Ceramic Insulating, Waterproofing Protective Roof Coating with a 15-Year Warranty. A water-based Energy Saving high build formula that beautifies, protects and extends the life of most any roofing surface, according to the company. Silicone Technology adds extra waterproofing protection by sheeting off water from the dried coating surface. Easy to apply and will provide many years of durable protection, outstanding beauty and will extend the roof’s life. An inexpensive alternative solution to re-roofing.

Owens Corning introduces Black Sable as the 2019 Shingle Color of the Year. As the newest addition to the Owens Corning TruDefinition Duration Designer Colors Collection series, Black Sable was inspired by color trends as well as feedback from homeowners, contractors and builders. “Black Sable provides a modern take on a classic color, making a sophisticated and timeless statement,” says Sue Burkett, Owens Corning Roofing Strategic Roofing Manager. “You could say this shingle is the ‘little black dress’ for the roof because it will never go out of style.”

As a twist to conventional monochromatic black palettes, Black Sable is a dark and intensely rich blend that uses classic black granules mixed with gray, umber and sable tones. The result is a dramatic yet grounded color complementing any number of architectural styles and exterior color palettes. “This is a new go-to color in roofing,” says Burkett. “Many people have asked me, ‘is the shingle black or brown?’ and my answer is ‘both’. Black Sable addresses a specific color gap we found in the market.”

The Shingle Color of the Year initiative highlights the roof as a design element expressing a homeowner’s personal style and enhancing a home’s curb appeal. “Research has shown that homeowners, especially women, embrace color and want guidance on how to use it on their homes’ exteriors,” Burkett says. Each year, Owens Corning introduces new online exterior style boards and other design and visualization resources to help. Three new style boards featuring Black Sable are supporting the product launch. These “design and inspire” tools are particularly popular with women. In 2018, Owens Corning earned the 2018 Women’s Choice Award as America’s most recommended roofing products.

HGTV’s “Good Bones” home renovation and design experts Karen E Laine and Mina Starsiak–renowned for their use of color as an exterior design element–announced the launch of Black Sable in a Facebook video. Laine and Starsiak have helped Owens Corning spread the message about color and curb appeal since the company announced its inaugural Shingle Color of the Year in 2017. Black Sable becomes the third Owens Corning Shingle Color of the Year following Sand Dune in 2018 and Sedona Canyon in 2017. It will be available nationally in January, 2019. More information can be found at www.shinglecoloroftheyear.com.

When a roof has to be replaced, McElroy Metal is poised to help building owners make the best decision with the company’s new E-book. This valuable reference identifies the many long-term and cost-effective benefits of installing a metal roof. The title of the E-book is Need a New Roof? How Building Owners Reduce Cost with a Metal Roof. McElroy Metal, a family-owned manufacturer of metal roofing and wall panels for a variety of markets, has developed two symmetrical standing seam metal roofing systems that are installed more quickly and provide a long-term, high-performance solution.

The E-book was developed to help building owners understand re-roofing options and present the features and benefits of Metal-Over-Metal and Metal-Over-Shingle Recover Systems. These two symmetrical standing seam metal roofing systems represent the optimal solutions with regard to both long-term performance and cost.

A.C.T. Metal Deck Supply welcomed Jacob Finstad of Dixie Roofing and his family as the Grand Prize Winner of the Cubs & Cruise Chicago Weekend Sweepstakes.

Jacob and his family watched the Chicago Cubs battle the St. Louis Cardinal during the last series of the regular season. They got a pleasant surprise when Tom Ricketts, owner of the Chicago Cubs, was at the host hotel where A.C.T. Metal Deck Supply greeted the family. Mr. Ricketts was informed of the sweepstakes and was kind enough to talk with the family and take a picture, too.

After the game that evening, the Finstad family cruised on Lake Michigan aboard the Spirit of Chicago which included a buffet dinner, DJ and breathtaking views of the city from their window table.

Registration has officially opened for the 2019 International Roofing Expo (IRE), which will be debuting in Nashville, Tennessee. The exposition will be held February 11-13, 2019, at Music City Center. The IRE plans to attract more than 10,500 industry professionals and more that 500 exhibitors, from over 60 countries, for an event spanning more than 138,000 square feet.

“We’re excited to be going to Nashville, which is a new city for us,” commented Tracy Garcia, CEM, Show Director of the IRE Expo. “It is such a fun town, with a great culture, and the convention center is state of the art. The location is central and should make it easy for all to attend.”

Education is the top priority of the IRE. This year there will be 45 brand-new sessions in the conference program. These sessions are designed to cover what is most important to the industry now and include courses in tracks such as Technical, Workplace Safety, General Business, Sales and Service, Money Matters, Green Building, and Legal/HR. In addition, there are additional education opportunities available on the show floor, including The Roofing Institute, sponsored by Johns Manville; GAF Education Center; exhibitor-presented seminars and product clinics.

“We are excited to partner with the IRE to bring educational and networking events for all segments of the roofing industry to the IRE,” said Reid Ribble, CEO of the National Roofing Contractors Association. NRCA events include:

CERTA Train-the-Trainer Authorization Program

NRCA Roofing Industry Fall Protection from A to Z

NRCA ROOFPAC Country Music Hall of Fame Extravaganza

Roofing Technical Issues- Open Mic Q & A

National Roofing Legal Resource Center Luncheon Program (NRLRC)

NRCA Alliance Construction Management Student Competition

NRCA How to Build Sustainable, High-Performing Workforce: The NRCA ProCertification Program

NRCA Industry Awards Ceremony and Cocktail Reception

ROOFPAC Reception

NRCA For Foremen Only, Level One (English)

Union Program (for Union Contractors Only): Working Together to Recruit, Train and Retain

The IRE will also be continuing its partnership with National Women in Roofing (NWIR), where women come together to share experience and insight. The NWIR educational program will be taking place Saturday, February 9 and is expected to draw attendees from every facet of the roofing industry.

American Hydrotech announced the availability of the Fourth Edition of the company’s widely acclaimed Garden Roof Planning Guide. For the last five years, updated print, online and app versions of the complimentary resource have transformed more than 22 years of vegetative roof experience into an educational tool and resource for architects, facility management, building owners, installers and contractors on the latest technology, applications and benefits of vegetative roofs.

The Fourth Edition of the Garden Roof Planning Guide has expanded to more than 82 pages, including information on the latest environmental and structural challenges facing building and design professionals across the globe. It also includes an expanded section with new and innovative rooftop solutions for significant storm water management as well as a number of other industry resources for professionals to explore. Fresh content and compelling imagery is organized in easy-to-read sections that explore the latest technology and materials, design considerations, installation and maintenance perspectives.

“Being deep-rooted in the industry for more than half a century allows us to remain at the forefront of technology and innovation,” said Richard Hayden of American Hydrotech. “We understand the latest environmental and structural challenges architects, landscape architects, facility managers and other professionals face each day on their projects. Complimentary tools such as the Garden Roof and the Protected Membrane Roof Planning Guides allow us to share our experiences and knowledge and help determine the right assembly and the right, high-performing materials no matter what the design challenge.”

The Garden Roof Planning Guide complements the First Edition of the company’s Protected Membrane Roof Planning guide, launched and made available earlier this year. The Fourth Edition of the Garden Roof Planning Guide is currently available for download in PDF format at https://www.hydrotechusa.com/planning-guide or by requesting a copy via email at guide@hydrotechusa.com.

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@roofingmag on Twitter

July/August 2018

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About Roofing

Roofing is a national publication that unravels, investigates and analyzes how to properly design, install and maintain a roof system. Through the voices of professionals in the field, Roofing’s editorial provides a unique perspective.